


Good Sports

by HYPERFocused



Category: Smallville, Sports Night
Genre: Announcements, Birthdays, Celebrations, Crossover, Established Relationship, F/M, Families of Choice, Gen, M/M, No Smallville Knowledge Needed: Chloe is a fiesty brave blonde reporter, Queer Families, Stealth Crossover, Surprises, declarations, trivia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 20:10:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5469443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HYPERFocused/pseuds/HYPERFocused
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Casey turns 50, and Dan has plans for both of them. He might even sing, and this time, no one can stop him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Sports

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nydia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nydia/gifts).



> Thanks to Celli for letting me borrow her Charlie McCall/Chloe Sullivan pairing.

The invitations went out on July 2nd, exactly 50 days before Casey's 50th birthday. This time, Dan vowed, it was going to be a kick-ass celebration, and Casey would be in for the surprise of his life. Dan ignored the little voice in his head reminding him that Casey wasn't generally big on surprises, or big parties, but heck this was for both of them.

 _Casey McCall is Having a Ball,_  
_And he doesn’t even know it._  
_His ‘good friend’ Dan_  
_Is the man with a plan,_  
_Who hopes that no one will blow it._  


_Dan would sing him that song,_  
_He's waited so long,_  
_For it to be free and legal._  
_No Thanks to the Hills,_  
_There are no more bills,_  
_'Happy birthday dear Casey' sounds regal._  


Facts most obscure  
_Are Casey’s best lure,_  
_For love of things trivial,_  
_McCall’s quite convivial_  
_Bring“50” nifty facts to recall McCall for sure._  


_Please come in suit and tie,_  
_Or fancy dress if you're that kind of girl( or guy. )_  


Expect surprises in vows to be said,  
_Clergy, or Judge, or ship's captain led,_  
_Casey would correct on that last,_  
_But I just wanted to get this done fast._  


_Fast? Ha! It's a good thing I'm patient_  
_and lived through the long wait_  
_Because Casey's worth it,_  
_no matter the date._  
_Call it a statistical fact to be said_  
_The party's not over until we're both wed._  


_Here's hoping Casey won't end up enraged_  
_That the day he turns 50 we'll be engaged._  
_This cat's many lives out of the bag_  
_The one about Sports Night and our rainbow flag._  
_8/12/2015, share our joy, please don't be late,_  
_But don't tell the birthday boy, it's his (our) wedding date._  


_Two parties in one, how novel, how nifty_  
_Casey turns fifty,_  
_our wedding, so thrifty_  
_(And if you were wondering who'd be the giftee_  
_All we need is your presence,_  
_If you get the drift-ee)_  


"You're crazy, you know," Casey's son Charlie told Dan when he opened the invitation. Dan was glad to have reached him before his book tour started.  


"You wouldn't be the first to say that." Not even the first today. Dan really shouldn't read what the idiots on the CNN boards posted about him. Some of them made soccer hooligans look calm and respectful. Casey's move to late night, taking over for Letterman on CBS, instead of NBC, had been marginally less controversial. Hopefully none of that would change when the big news came out.  


  
"Dad's going to plotz."  


  
"You're really picking up the 'honorary Jew' vernacular."  


  
"Call it the 'Rydell spell'."  
  


"I'm borrowing that one." Dan told him. “So, do you think you and Chloe will be able to come in for the big event? I mean, I know there's your book tour, and after that Comedy Central special airs you're going to have offers up the yin-yang. What the heck is a yin-yang, anyway, and why would you insert something into it?”  


“Dad turning 50? Seeing his reaction to your really very public proposal? You know I wouldn't miss it for the world. Chloe has a pretty strict deadline coming up, but she’ll try to make it if she can. Lex might lend her the jet. But you should ask Dad about the Yin Yang etymology.”  


.  
“Its just the kind of useless trivia he lives for, isn't it?”  


“No way, He lives for you. “ Charlie’s grin on the other side of their Skype was so like his father’s that Dan had to close his eyes at the sentimental dampness that wanted to escape.  


“Feeling’s mutual, kiddo. And you know nobody’s more important to either of us than you.”  


“I know, Uncle Danny. I’m the kid you never had. “  


“The kid I never got to fuck up. “ Dan and Charlie both parroted that last bit.  


“Nomenclature aside, I never have thought of myself as just your uncle. I've got nephews, and a niece. I love them, but I don't feel any real responsibility raising them. With you, though, remember when you broke your arm falling out of that kite-eating tree, I had sympathy pains for a week. How fair is that?”  


“Not fair at all. You called me Charlie Brown 'til they cut the damn cast off. I didn't mind. You were the best not-father a kid could want.”  


“You got pretty damn lucky in the real dad department, too.”  


“Yeah, I know. We both got lucky there. But, please, no details about “getting lucky” with my dad, okay? My ears are much too young and innocent to hear such things.”  


“You’re 28! You have a live-in girlfriend. The virgin train has sailed. You've known your father and I were together since you were, what, 15?”  


“12, actually. You guys never were as quiet as you probably thought.”  


He didn't call Dan out on the 'sailing train' either, which meant Charlie was twice the man his father was, because Casey would smirk about it for weeks. Dan would never mix up "secular" and "parochial" again. He was pretty sure no inauguration invitation would be forthcoming, assuming she won.  


“Oh, geez. It didn't stunt your growth, or anything, do you think?”  


“I'm 6’3”. I'd say no.  


”

“Good point. How'd you get so tall, anyway? You were such a cute little squirt.”  


“It wasn't from eating my Wheaties.”  


“So that was why you liked weekends at your dad’s place.”  


“He liked the good cereal just as much as I did.”  


“I hate to say that hasn’t changed. If he didn't feel like he'd better be prudent and eat healthier, every day would be Alpha-Bits day.”  


“He just likes to spell things with his food.”  


“Well, there is that.  


”

“It got me in trouble with my mom, you know.”  


“Really? I don't think I've heard this one.”  


“She let me have that vegetable soup with the letters, and I got a lucky spoonful that spelled out “FUCK U LIS  


“Did it really?” Dan laughed, although he knew he shouldn't.  


“With a little nudge from my fork, yeah. She blamed it on your influence.”  


“Of course she did.” Dan sighed. Things had improved somewhat between them, but she still put out a lot of resentment.  


Amazingly, or maybe not, since Dan and Casey had awesome friends, the secret wedding plan was kept, and Casey claimed to be truly surprised.  


Dan got the chance to sing a certain song, though he might have futzed with the words, a bit. He was a writer, and that's what they do.

“Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear Casey, (he actually dropped to one knee) Will you marry this Jew?"

"Danny, get up! Get up! Of course I will, you Goof! But get off the floor, you have _terrible_ knees!"

They kissed, and everyone applauded, then Danny added the last bit. "Since you technically weren't born until 10:15 at night, right during Sports Night, which seems fitting, how about we do this now, so we can be married before you qualify for that AARP card."

Charlie, was Best Man, and Chloe, who had made it after all, was a bridesmaid. Dana was Matron of honor. and Calvin (and Sam) were there. Kim, now producing Sports Night, came in after her shift. Jeremy and Natalie flew in from L.A, leaving the twins with Aunt Louise.  


Best of all, the newly ordained (of all the weird things you could do on the internet) Isaac Jaffe officiated. The wedding was small, but heartfelt.  


Casey's parents and Dan's mom and siblings were there. His dad had since passed, but wasn't much missed. The same could not be said of Dan's brother, Sam. There wasn't a day that Danny didn't miss him. 

Though Sports Night, the show, had gone through many changes, both networks, and personnel, the family it created was stronger than ever.  


It was a good thing, because Charlie's arrival brought even more news. He made the announcement during his speech as best man.  


"So, I'm not trying to steal your thunder, but you're going to want to hear this. The thing is, Dad, Danny, and the rest of you, too, I have all of you guys to thank for the next stage of my life. “  


“That's great, Charlie, but how so?”  


“ABC optioned me to write a pilot based on my book. We're pretty hopeful it's going to get picked up for a full season.”  


“So, what, Casey and I get to watch a hot young cast pretending to be us 20 years ago?” Dan wasn't sure if he was flattered or weirded out. He leant towards the latter.  


“Something like that. They'll probably change all the names, fictionalize things a bit. Really, some of your stories sound like fiction. I mean, Thespis?” Charlie blushed a little before letting the other secret out of the bag. “They're calling Dad’s character Charlie Collins, and Dan is “Dustin, 'Dusty' Rivers.”  


“So, basically, my name is mud? Typical.” Weirded out. Definitely. “Have they given any notes on casting?”  


“They want me to play Charlie.” He didn't exactly sound thrilled, and Danny remembered the sweet, quiet kid he’d been. Somehow or other he'd turned a sports writing degree into a comedic coming of age memoir that had shot up the blogosphere. Still, words on a screen, vs putting your whole self on one were entirely different things.  


“I don’t think there's anyone better suited to the role, sport. “ Casey said, beaming. “Plus, you're about the only person I'd trust not to embarrass me.”  


“I'm not so sure I'd trust me that much,” Charlie grumbled.  


“You'll be great. I have no doubt. But who do they have in mind for me? I mean, “Dusty”? If anything was going to get the damn show canceled before its time, it would be giving one of the leads a stupid porn star name like Dusty Rivers.  


“They're hoping to land Justin Long.”  


“The Mac vs Windows kid? He was pretty good in that Die Hard sequel. That's better than I was expecting.” Dan had thought at best it would be whichever was the nerdier of the kids who’d played Drake or Josh. Dan’s niece, Melanie, loved that show, and swore she was going to marry “the cute one”.  


"He hasn't said yes, yet."  
“He’s an idiot if he doesn't “ Casey said.

  
“Do they have anyone in mind for Dana, or whatever they're calling her?” Natalie wondered.

“Not yet, so far they're concentrating on Dusty and Charlie.”

“They should try out Chloe.”

“Me? Thank you, I guess, but why? I'm a journalist, not an actress.” 

“Natalie actually has a good idea, Chlo,” Charlie said. “ I mean, you have to pretend stuff all the time when you go undercover for a story. That's acting. And you look the part. Plus, you're fearless and feisty, just like Dana.”

“Wow, being favorably compared to Dana Whitaker would turn any girl’s head. If they honestly show any interest in my auditioning, I'll give it a whirl.”

“Casey, have I ever told you how much I like your son, and his girlfriend?” Dana asked.

“Fiancée,” Charlie said, looking over at Chloe, who smiled, and nodded a bit tearfully.

"But not tonight. Tonight is for your dads."

Good Sports: Starring Charlie McCall as Charlie Collins Justin Long as Dustin "Dusty" Rivers Chloe Sullivan as Dina Whitfield Alexis Bleidel as Melanie Hailey Josh Peck as Jamie Goldwyn And Steve Zahn as Stan Donelson 

With special guest stars And Jane Krakowski as Addie 

Written by Charlie McCall and Adam Salkind

Directed by Adam Salkind  
Based on the memoir, **Good Sports: Or What Sports Night Taught Me About Decency, Dedication, and Dad. by Charlie McCall**

”Good Sports: Great TV”  
"Good Sports" was met with excellent reviews, though it took awhile to find its footing. Unsure whether it was a workplace comedy, or an emotional drama, it destroyed any mold it might fit. Though Dusty/Charlie "Darlie" was a popular GS fandom pairing, it was never officially okayed on the show. Or at least not until ABC passed on it, after a two year run, and it lasted another six on Netflix During that time, Salkind branched out to create the well-regarded political ensemble drama, **POTUS** , and the short lived insider comedy, **A Spotlight, A Stool, and a Rough Brick Wall.**


End file.
